'Discharge' vote on EU spending

This week, the European Parliament has voted on the so-called 'Discharge' procedure, signing-off on the spending for 52 European institutions and agencies for 2018. The discharge is a key opportunity for the Parliament to scrutinise the spending and functioning of European institutions and agencies.
 
Viola von Cramon-Taubadel MEP, Greens/EFA Member of the Budgetary Control committee following the Commission's discharge procedure, comments:
 
"The Commission must revisit the Common Agricultural Policy and ensure that EU funds are equally accessible for all market actors and that the CAP is in line with the Green Deal, as well as with the  original aims of the policy. If Members States cannot guarantee the controlling function by accredited agencies, then the EU should employ a stricter oversight system for protecting the EU's financial interests.
 
"European taxpayers' money cannot be used to fund oligarchs' business empires. The Commission must publish the findings of the audits into Czech PM Andrej Babiš' business interests without delay, the public have a right to know the results. The Parliament is calling on the Commission to play close attention to the payments made to companies owned by the Czech Prime Minister and his family. Where the Czech government is already not complying with EU rules, the Commission must take legal steps to ensure that European taxpayers money does not go to these companies where conflicts of interest exist."
 
Daniel Freund MEP, Greens/EFA Member of the Budgetary Control committee following the Parliament's discharge procedure, comments:
 
"The discharge vote is a chance for the Parliament to get its own house in order and we have successfully used this opportunity to push through amendments improving the transparency of MEPs expenses and their lobby meetings.
 
"The Parliament has now voted for stricter rules on the General Expenditure Allowance, calling for MEPs to better document how they spend their allowance and return unused funds, in order to avoid the potential abuse of up to €40 million a year.  
 
"The vote for better readability of the data around Members' meetings is a big success for lobbying transparency. This is essential to clearly set out the links between lobbyists and MEPs and the laws they try to influence."
 
More:
Greens/EFA MEPs focusing on the discharge are:
 
European Commission: Viola Von Cramon Taubadel
European Parliament: Daniel Freund
Other Institutions: Mikulas Peksa
Agencies: Bas Eickhout
Joint Undertakings: Michele Rivasi